First Time for Everything
by Aeilde Light
Summary: James Potter is contemplating why it bothers him so much that he can't get the attention of one particular person, but his best friend figures it out very quickly. This is just a one shot.


James sighed and picked at the grass. The day had been rather disappointing. He had gotten into trouble with Sirius in almost every class, but regardless of whether they had been caught or not, Evans had not even deigned to look his way. It was rather annoying, the way she resolutely ignored him, refused to even acknowledge his presence, especially since he had only recently lost her attention. Three years ago when they had started school together, he had always been able to get her to look while he grinned and caused trouble, watching her go red in the face and get angry or upset that he would do something that stupid, or that dangerous. Now she just ignored him, and I grated on his nerves for no reason he could figure out.

Sirius and Remus sat nearby. Sirius was cloud watching and Remus was studying, and a little further off was the Pettigrew kid who had recently started hanging around. James didn't really mind him all that much, though Sirius thought it was annoying the way he hung around.

James sat up and sighed deeply looking absently at the school deep in thought and Sirius sat up.

"What're you looking at?" Sirius asked.

"Absolutely nothing," said James honestly, but he furrowed his brow as he noticed Sirius looking at his eyes then to the castle, and back again with a sudden knowing look on his face.

"Right. Nothing. I'll be right back." Sirius stood abruptly and started walking toward the castle. James flustered and quickly stood, following.

"What are you doing?" he asked, catching up with his friend.

"I'm going to go ask 'nothing' out," he replied calmly. This confused James, until he looked toward the castle again. He had, unrealizingly, been staring straight at Evans. Noticing this, his stomach suddenly felt very cold.

"You're joking right?" James tried to laugh, but it felt a little odd, "Evans hates you."

"Doesn't matter." Sirius stated.

"Then why are you going to ask her out?" James asked briskly, throwing out his arm to stop Sirius. He wasn't sure why, but this was starting to make him angry.

"Well you're certainly not going to!" Sirius bellowed at him, shoving James' arm aside.

"Well you're not going to either!" James yelled and quickly felt his legs give out when Sirius tackled him to the ground. The two wrestled desperately, just trying to win the confrontation. Sirius managed to get a purchase on top and suddenly yelled.

"EEEEVAAAAANSS!" he drew out the name and she looked toward the two of them just in time to see James wrestle Sirius back of off him and the scuffle began anew. Lily looked at them both with utter disdain, rolled her eyes, and followed her friends away, up to the castle and inside, something neither of the boys noticed.

"Shut up, bastard!" James tried to slug Sirius on the face, but only just barely tapped his chin. The two had gathered a small crowd around them.

"What? Since James Potter doesn't have the balls to ask her out, no one can? Is that it?" Sirius hissed at him and tried to get him into head lock, which James quickly broke out of.

"I do too have the balls!" James screamed and rolled the two of them over and over, becoming a blur of black and grey.

"Then why haven't you asked you yet, you twit?" Sirius crowed at him, struggling to pin James' arms.

"WATCH ME," James cried and broke loose, "EVANS! WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME?"

Sirius released James with a much too pleased look on his face while the crowd around them tittered and glanced around for the girl in question. James felt himself go red in the face as he realized Evans was no longer present, and he had therefore just been completely embarrassed. He stood and strode over to Sirius and hit him hard on the shoulder.

"You git, you planned that."

"Well, yes and no. I honestly didn't think she'd be gone mate!" Sirius replied brightly, ignoring the throb of his shoulder. "Now asking her out should be easy, seeing as you just did it in front of a bunch of people. So next time you see her just ask. Otherwise I'll do it and you'll have to sit by and mope while she snogs me instead." Sirius punctuated this last statement with a resolute nod. James sighed and helped Sirius up and walked with him back toward Remus and Pettigrew, who had decided to watch from a distance (having been privy to many of James and Sirius' fights before, this was nothing new).

And so it was that the first time James Potter asked out Lily Evans, she wasn't even there.


End file.
